A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Addis Ababa vs. Zagora for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Addis Ababa or Zagora?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Zagora, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Addis Ababa or Zagora?

Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia and also the nation's largest when ranked by its population of over three million. There are also more than 120 international missions and embassies in Addis Ababa, making the city a hub for international diplomacy concerning Africa. Other draws include its thriving marketplaces, spicy food, and rich coffee.

Zagora

A small town in southern Morocco, Zagora is a popular base camp for excursions on foot, by camel, or four wheel drive vehicles into the surrounding desert. One of the most famous and historic treks is the ancient caravan route to Timbuktu, marked by a famous sign at the end of town - indicating a journey of "52 days" by camel.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Ethiopia, The Best Adventure Tours to Ethiopia, The Best Adventure Tours to Morocco, and The Best Cultural Tours in Morocco.


Which place is cheaper, Zagora or Addis Ababa?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $68, while the average daily cost in Zagora is $50. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Addis Ababa and Zagora in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Addis Ababa $44
    Zagora $36
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Addis Ababa $88
    Zagora $72
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Zagora

Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Zagora? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Addis Ababa


Hotels in Zagora


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Addis Ababa Hotel Prices and Zagora Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Addis Ababa $7.85
    Zagora $1.42
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Addis Ababa are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.53

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa

Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Addis Shuttles: On-Time & Reliable, Airport Transfers: $19
  • City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $21
  • City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $26
  • Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $44
  • Private Transfer from Bole Airport Addis Ababa (ADD) to Addis Ababa: $109
  • Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $175
  • 4 Hours Addis Airport Transfer with Ethiopian Cultural Tour: $299

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zagora

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zagora:

  • Airport Private Transfer: $35

Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Zagora?

Prices for flights to both Zagora and Addis Ababa change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Addis Ababa $18
    Zagora $13
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Addis Ababa:


  • Slice of Cake
    $0.12

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Addis Ababa

For Addis Ababa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $75
  • Culinary Class and Food Tour in Addis Ababa : $82
  • Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $108
  • Unique Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis Ababa: $116
  • Private Ethiopian Home Cooking Class in Addis Ababa with Transfer: $124
  • HALF DAY + DINNER Addis Ababa City Tour: $140
  • Half Day + Dinner Addis Ababa City Tour: $150
  • Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis with transfers: $154
  • Market Tour and Cooking Class with a Coffee Ceremony at a Home in Addis Ababa: $168
  • Food tours in Addis Ababa Ethiopia: $240

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Addis Ababa $8.10
    Zagora $2.85

Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.

  • Addis Ababa Tour: $53
  • Addis Ababa City - Half Day Tour: $55
  • Addis Ababa highlight city tour: $56
  • A guided tour of Addis Abeba that includes a city viewpoint: $59
  • Addis Ababa highlights of the city tour: $59
  • Addis Food Tasting Tour : $59
  • Addis Ababa city Tour: $60
  • Addis Abeba's Market and Shopping Tour: $60
  • Half Day City Tour of Addis Ababa : $60
  • Guided City Tour: $62
  • Guided City Tour / Addis Ababa Guided City Tour: $62
  • Addis Ababa Guided City Tours: $62

Tours and Activities in Zagora

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zagora are as follows:

  • 2 Days Tour to Zagora Desert with sunset from Marrakech: $82
  • 2 days tour from Zagora to Erg Chegaga: $136
  • From Agadir 4 Days 3 night Désert Tours to Marrakech: $1,326
  • From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $353
  • From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $356
  • From Agadir or Taghazout: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour to Zagora: $376
  • From 2-Day Desert Tour to Erg Chegaga: $288
  • Marrakech: 2-Day Sahara Desert Tour Zagora & BenHaddou: $111
  • Private Day Camel Trekking Tour in Draa Valley from Zagora: $214
  • Zagora to Erg chigaga desert tour & 4x4 (All-inclusive) 2-Days: $164
  • Zagora to Erg chigaga desert tour & 4x4 (All-inclusive) 2-Days: $164

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Addis Ababa $6.69
    Zagora -

Sample the Local Flavors in Addis Ababa

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Addis Ababa:

  • Pub crawl Addis Ababa: $55
  • Pub-crawl Tour ( locally crafted beer and wine tasting ): $58
  • The Pub Crawl Royale: A Battle of the Best Drinks: $64
  • Locally crafted beer and wine tasting and nightlife in Addis tour: $65
  • Night Tour Addis Ababa beer and wine tasting: $69


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Zagora, we can see that Addis Ababa is more expensive. And not only is Zagora much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Zagora would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zagora and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Addis Ababa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Addis Ababa than you might in Zagora.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Addis Ababa Expensive? and Is Zagora Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Zagora?

Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Zagora. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Zagora, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.